The present invention relates to hydrogen silsesquioxane resin which has been modified to render it useful in the formation of ceramics.
Hydrogen silsesquioxane resin is known in the art. For instance, Collins et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 3,615,272 describe the production of soluble hydrogen silsesquioxane resin by the hydrolysis and condensation of a silane in a sulfuric acid medium. Similarly, Bank et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 5,010,159 teach an alternative method comprising hydrolyzing hydridosilanes in an arylsulfonic acid hydrate hydrolysis medium to form a resin which is then contacted with a neutralizing agent. These references, however, do not describe subsequent modification of the resin.
Nishi et al. in Japanese Kokai Patent No. 60-86017 teach polyhydrogen silsesquioxane resin obtained by bubbling water vapor through a solvent containing trichlorosilane. The silanol on the resultant resin was then silylated by adding dimethylchlorosilane. This reference, however, does not describe the process nor the product of the present invention.
The present inventor has unexpectedly found that hydrogen silsesquioxane resin can be modified to render it more useful in preparing ceramics.